Chinese authorities confirmed a man had set himself alight, but did not acknowledge claims by activist groups that police shot the monk and that he embarked on his protest after officials banned prayers at his monastery.

The incident on Friday came amid reported protests across the Tibetan plateau ahead of the ultra-sensitive 50th anniversary on March 10 of a failed uprising against Chinese rule that led to the Dalai Lama fleeing to India.

The monk, in his late 20s, was shot after dousing himself with petrol and setting himself alight in the Tibetan-populated town of Aba in southwest China's Sichuan province, the London-based group Free Tibet reported.

The monk, from Kirti monastery in Aba, held a flag with an image of the Dalai Lama, the Himalayan region's spiritual leader, as he embarked on his protest, Free Tibet and other activist groups said.

They cited unnamed witnesses and Aba residents.

In a brief report on China's official Xinhua news agency, Aba Communist Party chief Shi Jun confirmed a man wearing monk's robes had walked out of the monastery and set himself alight.

Shi reportedly said police put out the fire, and that the man was taken to hospital with burn injuries to his neck and head.

The Xinhua report made no mention of any shooting by police, while local authorities refused to comment to AFP.

Locals telephoned by AFP on Saturday were extremely fearful of discussing the issue. Some said police had fired shots but they would not comment on who these were aimed at.

One resident, who could not be named for fear of reprisal, said police had told her not to say anything but she confirmed police had fired shots.

"It's true, but I can't say anymore. My phone is monitored," she told AFP before hanging up.

Other residents also confirmed police shooting, but quickly put the phone down.

Some spoke of a strong force presence in the town after the incident.

"There are many policemen on patrol in the street and all of them have guns," an employee at a teahouse in Aba told AFP.

According to International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), the monk set himself alight after authorities blocked around 1,000 monks at Kirti monastery from holding prayers for the Tibetan New Year, which fell on Wednesday.

Aba has been a flashpoint town since police opened fire on an anti-Chinese protest there in March last year, in violence that activists said left at least seven Tibetans dead.

Tensions have been mounting for weeks across the Tibetan plateau ahead of the 1959 uprising anniversary, and Chinese authorities have reportedly dramatically increased security in the areas.

Next month also marks one year since peaceful protests that began on the 49th anniversary of the uprising escalated into violent rioting in Tibet's capital, Lhasa, and other areas of the plateau, such as Aba.

Tibet's government-in-exile says the government crackdown following last year's unrest left 200 Tibetans dead.

China denies this, but has reported police killed one "insurgent" and blamed Tibetan "rioters" for 21 deaths.

The Dalai Lama warned on Tuesday that Chinese authorities were trying to provoke Tibetans into remonstrating.

"When this happens the authorities can then indulge in (an) unprecedented and unimaginable forceful clampdown," he said.

Travel agents and other industry people have told AFP that Tibet has been closed to foreign tourists for March, although the Chinese government insists the Himalayan region remains open.

Foreign reporters are barred from travelling to Tibet independently.

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending troops in to "liberate" the region from what it said was serfdom under the Dalai Lama.

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